Charles Dickens at 200 + Capital punishment | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/books/series/charles-dickens-at-200+world/capital-punishment
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The Old Bailey in Dickens' time: Thomas Knight, indicted for returning from transportationhttp://www.theguardian.com/law/2012/feb/22/charles-dickens-abel-magwitch-transportation
Dickens was a court reporter between 1829 and 1833, when this case was heard. Like Knight, the character of Abel Magwitch in Great Expectations is deported to New South Wales for life, but returns to England<p>1409. <strong>THOMAS KNIGHT</strong> was indicted for that he, at the delivery of the King's goal of Newgate, holden for the county of Middlesex. at Justice Hall, in the Old Bailey, on Thursday. the 13th of September, 8th George IV., before Anthony Brown, Esq., Mayor of the city of London; Sir Stephen Gaselee , Knt.; John Vaughan , Esq.; John Ansley , Esq.; Sir Charles Flower , Bart.; John Thomas Thorpe, Esq.; aldermen of the said city; Newman Knowlys , Esq., Recorder of the said city, Matthew Prime Lucas , Esq.; St. Julien Arabin, Serjeant at Law; and others their fellows; Justices of our said Lord, &amp;c.; was in due from of law tried and convicted on a certain indictment against him, for stealing, at St. James', Clerkenwell, on the 10th of September, 8th George IV., 1 cloak, value 5l.; 2 coats, value 2l.; 6 handkerchiefs, value 6s.; 12 shirts, value 6l.; 5 pair of trousers, value 2l.; 8 pair of stockings, value 8s.; 3 jackets, value 10s.; 4 books, value 4s.; 1 portfolio, value 1s., and 1 trunk, value 10s., the goods of John Henry Haase , in the dwelling-house of William Adkins ; and he was thereupon ordered to be hanged by the neck until he was dead, but his Majesty having been pleased to extend his mercy unto him, upon condition of his being transported to New South Wales, or Van Dieman's Land, or some other islands adjacent, for his life, pursuant to the statute; and that he afterwards, to wit, on the 16th of September, 1833 , feloniously was at large without any lawful cause, within his Majesty's dominions (to wit) at St. Marylebone , before the expiration of the term for which he was ordered to be transported , against the statute, &amp;c.</p><p></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/law/2012/feb/22/charles-dickens-abel-magwitch-transportation">Continue reading...</a>UK criminal justiceLawCapital punishmentWed, 22 Feb 2012 17:08:26 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/law/2012/feb/22/charles-dickens-abel-magwitch-transportationBBCGreat Expectations: Pip and Magwitch in a BBC production. Photograph: BBCHulton Archive/Getty ImagesCharles Dickens at work. Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesCourtesy of Old Bailey Online2012-02-22T17:08:26Z